Being Lumina
by funkymoleperson
Summary: A story about adolescence. A story about friendship. A story about learning how to be oneself. A story about Lumina. LuminaxNami friendship.
1. The Mysterious Contact

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Summary: Lumina is tired of having to follow the conformities that society places upon her, and is unhappy with her way of life. Though she wants to break out and express herself instead of obeying Romana and society's expectations for her as a pianist and a model young lady, she is afraid of the consequences. With the help of an unusual companion, she may just find the courage to be herself. Lumina x Nami friendship. Vague ties to 'Karen, You're Being Irrational', but not a sequel.**

**Dedication: To _my _mysterious contact, who I still haven't had the courage to talk to, and doesn't know of the existence of this fic, even though she inspired it.**

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Prelude

Twelve was an awkward age, Lumina thought. It was at the crossroad of leaving childhood behind, but not quite on the road of adulthood. It agonized her, it teased her, it tortured her.

As a small child Lumina did not have any friends her own age. After her parents' death, she was raised by her grandmother Romana to be a polite, well-mannered young lady with respect for her elders and the thirst for learning that was in favor with the adults of the valley. So it was not that Lumina was unliked, simply that she had no one to relate to.

This had never been a problem before. Lumina learned to invent ways to amuse herself as she grew older, like only children do, and was quite happy with all that was offered to her. But at twelve, spinning towards thirteen, and then teenagehood, the arguments began.

Romana had been determined to raise Lumina to the best of her ability, and with her granddaughter's rising talent in the music field, she was determined to give Lumina the opportunity to succeed! Lumina had once been very excited about this, but the late year had shown upon her losing interest in the piano bench. Lumina began to neglect practicing, and spent more time alone, sometimes ignoring Romana's nagging to practice, or work on other chores.

She hadn't realized it at first, but Lumina had begun to change, as well as the world around her. As the pre-adolescent girl clung to her past, time was moving ever faster and the clock inside her ticked away the minutes. Underneath her soft exterior, a ghost of rebellion was beginning to grow in Lumina. She had believed once, that she would never be like the teenagers she read about in books and elsewhere, but was only to find that she could not prevent the hormones from raging through her body to tear her world apart.

In the beginning, Lumina hardly noticed the small changes around her, but then began to resent them. Maybe it was the way the women always called her the 'model child' or 'pretty little thing'. Lumina often wondered who they saw when they looked at her. When she looked in the mirror, she often wondered who was standing before her. Her path in life had already been mapped out, paved and painted for her, just like a dream, but where was she in all of this? An individual? Sometimes, she felt merely like a doll, or a puppet, playing her role perfectly, but never anything more.

"_Lumina, it's time to practice piano," came the expected, creaky old voice from the foot of the stairway, sneaking in under the cracks of Lumina's door. Lumina herself was perched on her windowsill, looking out on the afternoon in the valley. _

"_I don't feel like practicing right now, Grandma, I'm too tired," she called back in a slightly louder tone than she had intended. Not that it mattered, with Grandmother Romana's hearing failing of late._

_Lumina paused to listen to see if her grandmother would respond. No answer came, only a small sigh, and the creaking of the floorboards as her aged caretaker walked away from the stairs, probably to the kitchen. Romana tended to retreat to the small, tiled, never-quite-completely-stocked room when she needed solace, and Lumina could only guess why._

_It was, after all, her fault again. Romana only wanted Lumina's best interests, and Lumina was instead unkind and rude to her, this woman who loved her, her kin. She couldn't help it sometimes nowadays, though. Lumina felt bitter, sometimes wondering if her life had meaning at all, though her thoughts never strayed quite as far as death._

_Like a caged bird looking out through the bars of her cage, the golden-haired dreamer wondered if she'd ever be free._

The Mysterious Contact

Lumina was feeling very shut-in this fine morning. After playing a few, simpler songs, if only to suppress her conscience, on the piano, and then feeding the cats, she was at a loss of things to do. Romana had gone out on a walk, and Sebastian was too busy cleaning to talk to, so Lumina was feeling every fiber of isolation.

Peeping into the guest room, where the family butler and longtime friend, Sebastian was dusting the furniture, Lumina cleared her throat slightly. When Sebastian raised his head, she edged slightly into the room, standing halfway through the doorway.

"I was wondering if I might go out into the valley this morning," Lumina said, hopefully, and then adding, "I've done all my chores." Sebastian smiled kindly and nodded.

"Just be home in time for lunch. Also, you may have some apologizing to do to your grandmother when you return, so think about what you are going to say. You know how your lack of motivation hurts her. If you no longer want to play, at least tell her why," he spoke in a slow, thoughtful voice, less cracked then Romana's but never the less aged and dusty, rather like the books in the living room.

Lumina nodded and walked back out into the hall, shutting the door with a small click behind her. She sighed, and then with a momentary flash of irritation thought to herself, _but how can I tell that to Grandma? She would be terribly upset and disappointed in me, and I can't let her down…this pressure to do well is overwhelming. I'm trying hard to please everybody, but I just can't! Not when…not when I can't be me alongside all that! Oh, stop it, Lumina! You're being selfish!_

Sunlight poured into the house as Lumina opened the front door and stepped outside. She had to shut it quickly, though, so the cats wouldn't get out, but Lumina was outside now, where all the sunlight was, and so she wasn't dissatisfied in the least. It wasn't particularly warm this morning, which was nice, and there was even a gentle breeze that ruffled the grasses and played around with Lumina's hair.

When her eyes adjusted, Lumina began to walk in a relaxed fashion, looking at everything around her with such care that she almost didn't see it. That is why she didn't notice the young woman some years older than her walking up the path at first. However, upon second glance, the deep red hair was so striking that Lumina wondered why she had not noticed it in the first place. The older girl had sharp blue eyes and a very intriguing face that pulled Lumina in. She suddenly realized she was staring, and immediately turned the other way. The redhead walked a little way farther up the stone walkway, and then turned and proceeded back down. Morning walks were common for many people of the valley, Lumina had noticed. Though, she couldn't say that she'd seen this woman before.

Lumina's thoughts wandered as the tall figured disappeared from site around the bend. It was now that she remembered that turtle she had saw at the pond a week or so before. Maybe she would go down that ways and explore around there…

"You're late again," Sebastian was waiting at the door when Lumina tromped in, far after the lunch hour, as well as being muddy and quite disheveled. Romana was sitting silently at the dining room table, having already finished her main bit, and was chewing methodically on her salad, eyes unfocused. The old woman did not say anything, and Lumina could tell that she was deeply upset.

"I'm sorry Sebastian, Grandma…I lost track of time," she stuttered, looking down at her shoes and feeling thoroughly ashamed of herself. Gah, stupid again, Lumina thought.

Romana looked up, "Your soup went cold. You'd best heat it up." She went back to her salad and spoke no more.

"Grandma Romana, about yesterday…" Lumina hurried to appease her, but Sebastian gently ushered her towards the kitchen.

"Now is not a good time to talk," was all he said, and then left her alone in the kitchen to think.

It was all Lumina could do not to run immediately up to her room and start crying.

The next morning Lumina stayed at home and helped Sebastian clean. Romana had forbidden her to leave the house that day, and had said nothing more, leaving for her morning walk earlier then usual, and coming home far later, as if to make her point. Guilt plagued Lumina. She had to make up for hurting her grandmother, she _had_ to.

That evening, Romana was ready to talk.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself? Do you no longer wish to play the piano? I can't invest my time in this if you continue to be unmotivated. Either pick up your studies, or I'll simply have to end the lessons. If you're not going to try, then I'm not going to put anything more into this." Lumina shifted her weight from one foot to the other, not looking her grandmother in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, Grandma Romana, I really do want to learn. I'll try harder," she said, sniffing slightly. Romana's expression changed.

"I was a bit hard on you, Lumina. You know I just want the best for you. That's why, if you really don't want to continue piano, then you don't have to. I just want you to be able to communicate with me." Lumina couldn't help running over into her grandmother's arms, blinking rapidly so she wouldn't start crying again from this stress that had been building up lately.

"No, I really want to learn! I've been tired lately, but it'll change! I'm going to give it my all!" she whispered, her voice breaking as she buried her head in Romana's shoulder. Romana patted her gently on the back, smiling in a soft, loving way.

Later, Lumina sat on her bead, trying to decide if she had done the right thing. Because, she didn't enjoy piano that much anymore, but she could never tell her grandmother that…it would crush her feelings. So had she lied?

"No, I did not lie. I will try harder. Just to please Grandma!" she spoke aloud to reassure herself, but even then it came out hollow and empty.

The next day, Lumina saw the unfamiliar woman again. She watched her for a while, as long as she dared for fear of being noticed, and thought about how very different the other one was. Lumina could not find the words to describe her, but she found the older girl very interesting, and she wanted to speak with her, but found herself suddenly shy. Lumina could deal with grown ups and the lot, but this girl was different. She didn't know what to expect. What if she said the wrong thing?

A month passed. Spring bled into summer and the weather became gradually warmer, the colors of the valley gradually brighter, and the air gradually thicker with the scents of flowers in bloom. The strange redhead that Lumina had taken to watch in the mornings did not come around regularly, in fact, she seemed to have no set schedule, but Lumina didn't mind. Seeing her every once in a while was a comfort to her confused and lonely heart.

Secretly, Lumina had begun to pretend that this woman was her friend, though she didn't even know her name. The woman didn't have as quite an open air as the other young woman in the valley did. Celia and Muffy were very friendly and talkative, which almost put Lumina off sometimes. Perhaps that was why she was attracted to this particular woman herself. Existing in her own little world herself, Lumina would try to guess what the woman was thinking, what she was like, and so forth.

Lumina couldn't build up the courage to talk to the redhead, since she was so much older, but sometimes she could swear that the older girl looked over at her when she passed by. Maybe one of these days Lumina would talk to her. Someday…someday…

Lumina stood in front of the mirror, trying out various greetings that she thought she might use to speak to the older girl. They all came out cheesy and stupid, but she couldn't think of anything else. Finally, in her desperation, she asked her grandmother.

"Just say 'Hi, my name is Lumina, what's your name?'," Romana responded promptly, "It's usually hardest to begin to conversation, but after that, you'll be talking well enough." Lumina looked doubtful. _Somehow, it isn't that easy for me. Maybe I just think too much…_

She stayed up for a long time on her bead, thinking about conversation starters and topics to talk about, even though nothing seemed quite right. _Maybe I'll figure it out when I see her again, _thought Lumina as she drifted off to sleep.

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**End of chapter one. Not much going on, but life can be that way sometimes. Heh heh.**


	2. Tripping and Falling

**It took me a LONG TIME to write this chapter, but I've taken on too many projects at once and only now I'm realizing how hard it is to keep it up. So, slow updates…yes…but reviews are encouraging. –hopeful look- I don't depend on them, however, it's just nice to get one once in a while. Lumina went from twelve to thirteen at the end of the first chapter, but it isn't mentioned. At least, I thought her birthday was in spring. Anyway, there are alcohol references in this chapter, folks, but no drunkards.**

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Tripping and Falling 

Lumina lay on the lawn, her golden hair splayed across the grass, shining in the late morning sunlight. Her eyes were half-closed, lazily following the movement of a bright red butterfly's path through the air. She had finished her chores shortly before, and was now lounging around outside with nothing to do. The red haired lady hadn't walked in the area for a week, and Lumina felt the lack of presence, but knew that she might get better results if she sought the other girl out on her own. She just wasn't brave enough.

"It's too good a day to be slouching there in the dirt," came an amused voice from somewhere behind Lumina. She sat up and turned around to see who it was. Sebastian walked over to her, holding gardening shears in one hand.

"Why don't you go for a walk?" he suggested, smiling at her. Lumina hopped to her feet, and grinned back. She paused a moment to brush her hair out of her face.

"Sure! I don't know why I didn't think of it before. The weather is making me drowsy," she groaned, and then laughed. Sebastian nodded understandingly.

"The summer heat and humidity in these parts really gets to the city folk. Still, the autumn is so glorious, it makes up for the hot summer months and the cold winter months," he responded, heading back over to where he had been working on trimming the bushes.

"I like winter, though, just not summer," Lumina called after him, and cheerfully skipped down the path, kicking up dust clouds behind her. Gripped by a sudden, wild impulse, the young thirteen year old began to run down the hill as fast as she could, letting momentum speed her farther as she released the energy trapped inside herself.

Psychologically, Lumina was perhaps trying to release all the guilt and torment built up inside herself, but she did not relies it if she did, so enveloped in the feeling of running and laughing. The wind blew through her hair and the sun warmed her back as she sped along.

Suddenly, Lumina, not looking at where she was going as she plunged through the trees toward the turtle pond, tripped over a rock embedded in the earth and flew threw the air, landing with an awkward thump. Then, as she wobbly tried to steady herself, pain shot through her ankle and Lumina collapsed in surprise. Swallowing, she tried to move her ankle, to check the damage. It hurt to move it. This could be a problem…

"You shouldn't run so fast without looking where you are going," came a cool, reprimanding voice. Lumina blinked, then saw that the red haired woman from before standing right in front of her. She hadn't noticed her walk up. Lumina nodded mutely, her eyes as wide as saucers. She was able to keep her jaw from falling open, but still…all this time she had wanted to talk to this person, and now this older girl was talking to _her_. The woman's forehead creased.

"You hurt your ankle," she stated, instead of asking. Lumina nodded again.

"Are you going to say anything?" the girl asked, looking at Lumina curiously, "Listen, umm…if you need any help walking back…I know Doctor Hardy isn't home right now, but I could take you to the Inn. It's really close by." Lumina searched around for her voice and eventually found it.

"Sorry, thanks, that would be helpful. It really hurts, do you think I broke it?" her reply came, rushed and breathless, but at least she had said _something_. The red haired girl frowned.

"I don't think it's broken, you probably just twisted it, but I doubt you'll find walking easy," she muttered, bending over Lumina's foot and probing it cautiously. Lumina winced.

"If you could just, kind of…" Lumina had been about to suggest that she grip onto one of the girl's shoulders and hop all the way to the Inn, but the girl effortlessly swept Lumina up and _carried_ her all the way to the Inn. She was _strong_. Lumina was impressed, needless to say.

When they reached the Inn, Ruby appeared at the door with a worried look on her face. She ushered them inside, an ice pack already made and ready to put on Lumina's ankle.

"I saw what happened through the window," the innkeeper explained, sitting Lumina down and putting the ice on her ankle, "I've already called Romana and she's sending Sebastian to come get you," Lumina nodded gratefully. The older girls raised an eyebrow, and it looked like she was almost suppressing a smile.

"You're like a bobble head doll," she commented idly as Ruby rushed back into the kitchen, looking for some temporary bandages, not that Lumina needed them. Lumina wrinkled her nose and the older girl did finally laugh. It was short, but a glint of merriment held in her eyes for a second and Lumina smiled.

When Sebastian came to help Lumina back to the mansion, the older girl opened the door for her and followed her outside. Squeezing her shoulder and giving Lumina a crooked grin, the redhead turned to go back inside.

"Get better soon, ok? You're a good kid, Lumina," she said, walking in without a backward glance. Lumina stared after her, smiling faintly, not wondering until later how the girl knew her name. She turned to Sebastian.

"Sebastian, who was she?" Lumina asked curiously. Sebastian looked at her with a slightly surprised expression.

"Oh, you don't know? That's Nami; she arrived in the valley right about when Jack did," he explained. Lumina thought back to when Jack came. That was the beginning of the year, in early spring. Jack was the new farmer in the valley, who Lumina had only seen once, but he looked like an ok sort. But had Nami really come that soon? Yes, she must have. Lumina just hadn't noticed her at first.

"Oh," was Lumina's only response. They were at the foot of the hill when she turned back and gave the Inn one last look. In the fading sunlight, Nami could be seen on the porch of her room, looking over at her. Lumina smiled and waved, and thought that maybe, just _maybe_ Nami smiled back.

Bar Scene #1

"Hello there, Jack!" Muffy greeted one of the Bar's frequent visitors with enthusiasm. Jack smiled at her and slid into one of the stools at the counter.

"Dish me up something strong tonight, Muffy, I have some major strain to unwind from," Jack said cheerfully, wiping sweat off his forehead. Taking care of a farm on his own during summer was hard work. Muffy nodded and went to fetch him something to drink. When she came back, she clucked sympathetically at his dejected posture.

"Want to talk about it, hon?" she asked, sliding Jack's mug over to him. He sighed and stared into the brew for a long moment.

"I definitely need to unload, but I don't know where to start," Jack said, taking a sip at his drink, lost in his thoughts. Muffy lifted her elbows off the counter to let Griffin clean the area she had been occupying with a washcloth. He was determined to keep the Blue Bar meticulously clean, for reasons she couldn't quite comprehend, but complied with.

"Then start with what you think is the beginning, even if it doesn't seem significant," suggested Muffy. "I find that sometimes little things build onto bigger and bigger things until it seems…well, overwhelming." Jack nodded.

"Well, it started when I was a small lad. I lived in the city and my family decided that for vacation we should visit the country. That's when…I first went to Mineral Town," he began, leaning back and taking a long draught from his mug, "We stayed at an old man's farm and I made friends with him…and another girl who was about my age. The old man and I agreed to be, well, pen pals, before I left." Jack laughed embarrassedly, but Muffy did not seem bothered.

"There is nothing wrong with that! Go on, I like stories," she offered encouragingly, smiling. Jack chuckled and nodded.

"Well, years and years later, he stopped responding to my letters and I went back to Mineral Town to find out why. Turns out that he died and left his farm to me. I wanted to take it, but my father had taken up farming in the valley when he and my mother separated, and wanted me to take over his farm when he passed away. He knew how much I wanted this other place because of my old memories, and said I'd get a trial year there. If I could get married and settle down with my own life on that farm, I could keep it," Jack stared into space, remembering the details of his memories and he recalled them to Muffy. She shook him slightly after he didn't continue.

"You were saying?" asked Muffy meaningfully. Jack jerked out of his thoughts and took a few more gulps of his drink before continuing.

"At first it was awkward. I didn't know anyone, and the Mayor took an instant disliking to me. But then I met Karen," he smiled, staring at his reflection in the dark liquid, "She was wild, she was energetic, she was snappy, but overall, she was amazing. I'd never seen a woman with such fervor, such character. I think I fell in love somewhere along the way…" Muffy was beaming throughout the story, and she sighed at the description of Karen.

"That sounds so sweet…did you propose to her?" she asked, dreamily. Muffy was a huge romantic, which was one of the reasons Jack had chosen not to mention his relationship before now. But he had started talking, and he would finish.

"She didn't love me," Jack said sadly, "I was so blind…I didn't even realize that she loved someone else the whole time. The only comfort I have is that she didn't realize it either. Not that she ever really thought she loved me, but it was a big confusing jumble. In the end, she was as nice as she could be about it, but I don't think I really got over it."

The bar was quiet. As it had gotten later, people had gradually drifted out. Jack, Muffy, and Griffin were the only ones left in the bar. Moonlight shone in through the windows. Jack finished off his drink before finishing up his thought.

"Then, Dad died and left the farm to me, pointing out that he still recognized my failure, even in death. I sold the old farm and moved here. I'm all on my own…and it can be…hard sometimes," he murmured. Muffy nodded, turning as the door opened and a figure entered.

"Celia, help this poor man home. He's been having a rough time," she said softly, making Jack look up to see a longhaired brunette in the doorway. His face relaxed and he smiled.

"Celia! Hey, what are you doing out this late?" Jack asked, standing up and slapping down the money for his drink on the counter. Celia grinned at him.

"I came to get you, silly. If you stay out this late every night, it's no wonder you're suffering from fatigue. Now, I brought along an extra coat so you won't catch cold, so let's get going," she said, looking tired and concerned, but happy to see him. It made Jack feel almost like everything was going to be ok, and he walked over to her, smiling back, and accepted the coat gratefully. Muffy grinned after them, waving cheerfully.

"If anyone can help that man get back on his feet, it's her," she told Griffin as she scooped up a rag and helped him clean up. Griffin raised an eyebrow.

"What about you? Don't you need someone, Muffy?" he asked thoughtfully. Muffy shrugged.

"Oh, it would be nice, I'm sure," she said slowly, "But I don't _need_ anyone. I've got all these wonderful friends in the valley. Besides…I could never get between those two…they make such a sweet couple."

Muffy grinned at Griffin's still unsure expression and gave him a light peck on the cheek before bouncing into the back room to get ready for bed.

"Good night, Griffin!" she called downstairs. Griffin stayed out for a little while longer, staring at his guitar, but decided not to play tonight. Perhaps Muffy would meet someone in the city someday. He hated to see her like this – happy for everyone else, but not thinking enough about herself. Griffin had never had a kid, but Muffy was the closest thing to that, and he wanted her to be just as happy as Jack and Celia.

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**About the "bar scene": Well, this story is centered on Lumina, but it will have a bar scene occasionally, focusing on other, minor characters. I hate writing about one character straight, and it's easier to split up scenes. Though, that one took up half the chapter…teehee. **


	3. Learning How

**I feel bad because I have three other chaptered stories going, and I keep choosing to work on them over this one, meaning that it's moving very slowly. I have a clear idea of the plot; of course, it's just the writing part I never seem to have time for. This chapter has a metaphorical moment (ooooh!), but I won't tell you what it is just yet. I think you'll get it, though. I have finally talked to my "mysterious contact", but it wasn't nearly as interesting as Lumina and Nami's meeting. Oh, and, some familiar faces might pop in this chapter!**

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Learning How

Mid-summer found Lumina working extra hard to finish her double load of chores (Grandma Romana insisted that since she was having a break from her normal duties that she must fill her extra time with character building – work) so that she could go out in the hopes of running into Nami. However, it seemed that the Fates were against her. Whenever Lumina visited the Inn, Nami was out, and after coming home Sebastian would sometimes tell her that he had seen Nami out on her walk, so she'd stay home in hopes of seeing her, but Nami never turned up on these days. One afternoon Lumina had gone to market to buy some food and had glimpsed Nami in the crowd, but had been waylaid by Celia, who wanted to know where animal equipment was sold, because she was looking for something for Jack's birthday, and when Lumina was finally free of her, Nami was gone.

Just as Lumina became frustrated, though, an odd thing happened. Romana, who usually insisted on a strict work regimen, woke her up a few hours before dawn, smiling in a self-satisfied way.

"You'd best get on your clothing, Lumina, there's someone at the door for you," she said, cheerfully dragging her granddaughter out of bed. Lumina made a protesting noise and tried to keep the comforter around herself.

"It's four in the morning," she complained. "What kind of decent person comes visiting at four in the morning without warning?" Her grandmother just smiled and tossed a large red sweater at the teen.

"Well, if you aren't going to change, at least pull that over your pajama top. It'll be cold outside," Romana said bossily, then hurried out of the room, snickering.

"And hurry up! I doubt your guest wants to be kept waiting!" she shouted back as she hurried down the stairs to assure the person at the door that Lumina would be right there. Lumina had a strong temptation to go back in the bed to spite the person for waking her up so early, but her curiosity was sparked. Maybe on a whim, Nami had come by…or was that too much to hope? After all, they'd only really spoken once, and it's not like they hung out enough or anything…

Lumina pulled on the sweater and hurried down, figuring that the sweatpants she slept in would be fine for wherever she was going and she wouldn't need to put on other pants. However, half way down the stairs, she tripped on the hem on her pants (with the foot she had hurt, which was still slightly wobbly) and toppled down the rest of the way, rolling to a stop at the feet of her visitor. Her visitor burst out laughing and Lumina looked up to see Nami standing there. She had hoped it was her, but honestly, she hadn't _expected_ it to be her. Why would Nami stop by anyway? Lumina blinked.

"Er…hello, Nami…" she said uncertainly. Nami shook with laughter, tears twinkling at the edges of her eyes, her arms clutched around her stomach.

"Good morning, Lumina," she managed to gasp out, pausing for breath. Lumina gave her a half questioning, half accusing look and Nami shrugged, shoving her deep red hair out of her eyes.

"Hey, don't give me that look. Romana and Sebastian told me to stop by this morning. They said that since I have such sporadic sleeping habits, I should come at the time most convenient to me," she explained, looking extremely amused. Lumina had never seen her this jubilant.

"Yeah, well, what is it about that it couldn't wait until I'm fully awake?" she asked, a hint of a whine creeping into her voice, looking around to glare at her grandmother, but Romana had disappeared. Nami smirked.

"Hey, you're the one who is so anxious to talk to _me_, girl," she replied, placing her arms on her hips. Lumina blanched, making Nami start chuckling again.

"Your dear scheming relatives set me up to this, so I really don't know _why_ I'm here, either. But, since I am, care to take a walk with me? I was going to go down to the beach, anyway, to watch the sunrise…how old are you, anyway?" Nami rambled on animatedly. Lumina twitched.

"Well, that was random," she said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm thirteen, and I'll come on the walk to avoid my "scheming relatives" at least. Do you know how embarrassing this is?" Nami shrugged and hauled Lumina to her feet, keeping a firm grip on her arm as she dragged her out the door.

"Well, Lumina, I'm seventeen, if you must know," she said conversationally as they trouped down the hill. "I'll be eighteen next season, so we're about five years apart-ish. That's a chunk of an age gap, but I suppose I'll manage."

Lumina allowed herself to be dragged along, trying to make sense of everything, "You'll…manage?"

Nami looked surprised, "Well, of course. I'll manage hanging out with you, that is. A little bird told me that I'd have to baby-sit someone and since the fee was sufficient enough, I agreed."

Lumina looked utterly crestfallen, "Oh…oh, I see…"

Nami shook her head vigorously, "No! I didn't mean it that way! I way joking, Lumina, I swear! Just…relax a little…ok?" Lumina swallowed and nodded, smiling weakly; still reeling from the shock of the ridiculous situation she'd been thrown into. When she reached the sand, Lumina plopped down very ungracefully, glad to be able to rest her legs. The first morning rays were peeping over the horizon, reflecting in shimmering spots on the waves. Nami stretched, grinning, then bent over to take off her shoes so she could walk around in the sand barefoot.

"See? That's better, isn't it?" Nami asked softly, smiling at Lumina. Lumina let out a long sigh and then grinned at Nami, who chuckled.

"It's beautiful out here in the morning," Lumina commented after a pause. "I never knew that the sunrises in the valley were so…brilliant…I've only ever seen sunsets." Nami kicked some sand in the air with her toes, watching it swirl around in the air before settling again

"I hate sunsets," she commented idly. "It feels like the end. At the end of the day, you always wonder; did I do all that I wanted to today? Did I finish everything that needed to be finished? Is everything in order? Just like reaching the end of a book…if it's good, then you'll lie back and feel contented and all, but it's over. There isn't any more. That's why I try not to watch sunsets, because they feel too final. Sunrises…now, those I can't get enough of. Beginnings, a new day, a fresh start…you know?"

Lumina nodded, "I never thought of it that way."

The sun rose above the two young women as they chatted away casually, beginning a new day, a new friendship, and perhaps, a new beginning…

Bar Scene #2

It was midday when the newcomers entered the bar. Griffin was washing dishes and Muffy was in the back, mixing up some more punch. There were few people in the bar; only Wally and Gustafa, but this time of day usually wasn't a high traffic time, so Griffin was not particularly worried.

Griffin looked up when the two women walked over to the counter, but they were still discussing what they wanted to order, so he returned to scrubbing at the glass mugs. Finally, the two seemed to come to an agreement.

"We'd just like two waters, thanks," the first one spoke up, fishing in her purse for some money. The other hopped up on a stool to wait, gazing idly around the room. Griffin whipped up two clean mugs and poured water to them.

"_Women_," he said, chuckling, to Wally. "They always want water. Like one sip of anything else might make them gain twenty pounds…" The first woman froze in the middle of ruffling through her purse and cringed, looking embarrassed, but the second woman snapped to attention, fury in her eyes.

"How _dare_ you!" she said coldly, sliding slowly off her stool. "My girlfriend Karen is a recovering alcoholic! Your comment was disrespectful and tactless for her current state. Apologize!"

Griffin immediately felt guilty, "I didn't realize…I'm sorry…"

"Never assume things!" the second woman spat harshly, and grabbed the arm of her companion, storming out of the building without drinking her beverage. The bar was silent. Wally coughed, embarrassed, and said something about getting back to work. Griffin busied himself with the dishes again, but Gustafa smiled serenely and followed the women out of the bar.

Outside Karen turned to her companion, looking ashamed of herself, "I'm sorry, Mary, I didn't mean to cause trouble for you…" Mary halted, shaking her head vigorously.

"You did _nothing_ wrong, Karen. Nothing! The bartender was very rude to you. _He_ was the one who wronged _you_," she scolded lightly, making Karen smile and reach over to kiss her on the cheek.

"Well, thanks for sticking up for me. I would normally be more…aggressive, but withdrawal is hard on me, and I'm in a weak state," Karen said appreciatively. Mary looked at her with slight pity.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry you're going through this, but we'll make it. Together," she replied softly, extending her hand.

"Together," Karen agreed, taking Mary's hand and walking down the road back towards town…and home.

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**Sorry that this chapter was so short, but I want to get ahead to the more interesting action, and this part is rather boring to write, so I wanted to condense it as much as possible. **


	4. Sunrises and Sunsets

**This chapter did not want to be written. This story, actually, doesn't seem to want to be written. For now, though, I'm wrestling with it. I first started reading fan fiction years before I began writing it, and I would hate finding these really good stories that were never finished. When I started writing fan fiction, I promised myself that once I started posting a story, that I'd keep writing it to the end, whether I got any support or not. I want to be a writer who is able to overcome her obstacles. Anyway, enough babble. Here is the fourth chapter.**

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Sunrises and Sunsets

It was the first day of fall, and the sunrise found Lumina running down the hill at full speed towards the Inn. She sidestepped Wally, who was out on his morning jog, and began yelling Nami's name before she was even in the building. As Lumina rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time, Ruby walked out into the main room.

"Lumina?" she asked bewilderedly to the girl's retreating back. "What's she doing up at this hour?"

At the top of the stairs, Lumina ran headlong into Rock, plowing him over as she skidded to a halt in front of Nami's room just as the door banged open. Nami stood in the doorway, still in her pajamas, looking rather disheveled as if she had only just woken up. She moved one hand up to push her messy red hair out of her face, then took one look at Rock, who was on the floor, and Lumina, who was practically hopping up and down with excitement.

"Lumina…Rock…what?" she asked, blinking sleep out of her eyes. Lumina rolled her eyes and prodded Nami's shoulder.

"Today's the day! The first day of fall! The day you promised to take me into Mineral Town!" Lumina explained, bouncing up and down. Nami tried to remember when she had agreed to this. _Oh yeah…_A couple of days ago Lumina had mentioned an interest in getting some new reading material, and Nami had said that she knew of a library in town they could go to. Lumina had been so excited, that Nami had promised to take her there, but not until fall – summer was busy.

"Slow down, let me wake up first," the redhead protested, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Lumina grinned and dragged Nami down the stairs by her elbow, ignoring the older girls protests.

"Ruby! Help me!" Nami wailed pathetically, and the older woman chuckled as Lumina dragged her victim outside and onto the road. Nami sighed with resignation and shrugged Lumina's grip off, walking a few paces faster so that her friend would have to jog to keep up.

"Good Morning, by the way," Lumina gasped as she ran to catch up with Nami. Nami's nose twitched.

"You sure are chipper," she commented, running one hand through her messy hair. Lumina laughed.

"It's because it's fall, and I'm with my friend, and we're going into town! Nothing could be better!" she exclaimed happily. Nami raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it seems that it doesn't take much to please you then. Some people might call this a _chore_ and a _bother_," the older girl replied, putting stress on the last few words. Lumina shrugged.

"Grandma Romana gives me plenty of chores and homework to do. So, something like this is a treat for me. And I'm lucky, because since it's a treat for me, while it's boring for someone else, I get to do something that would be thought of as _work_, and still enjoy it!" Lumina responded cheerfully, skipping ahead. Nami looked after her with a soft, pitying smile, thinking of all the fun things that city girls Lumina's age got to do while Lumina worked away.

When the pair reached the top of the mountain, with the valley behind them and the town down on the other side, they stopped. Nami watched in amusement as Lumina's bulged.

"Wow! You can see for miles up here!" she said with wonder. "It's so…beautiful…" Nami nodded, but was keen on continuing on while the morning was still young.

"Hiking this mountain in the middle of the day isn't much fun," she explained as they started their descent. "The heat gets really bad, and it's only the beginning off fall, so the summer weather hasn't entirely worn off yet."

They trekked down the mountain and continued on through the forest until they finally entered town, while was bustling with activity. Lumina couldn't stop staring as Nami led her purposefully through the crowds and towards their destination.

After much sightseeing on Lumina's part and crowd parting on Nami's part, they reached the library in all its two-story glory. Nami opened the door and walked inside with Lumina trailing after her and the two were met by the sight of books. Shelves and shelves of books.

Lumina made a gasping noise of disbelief and delight, unable to express herself in words. Nami smirked, and took her friend by the arm, leading her further in so that they weren't blocking the door.

"Good afternoon, ladies, may I help you with anything?" a soft voice asked and Lumina turned to see a young woman with long braided back hair and glasses perched on her nose coming down the stairs from the second floor.

"We're just browsing," Nami said, placing a hand on Lumina's shoulder. "Was there anything in particular you were looking for, Lumina?"

Lumina took a step forward, looking at the librarian hopefully. "Umm…actually, Miss Librarian, I'm really interested in books about traveling! Do you have any?"

The librarian smiled. "When you call me Miss Librarian it makes me feel silly. My name is Mary, and yes, I have books from different places that you can travel to all over the world!"

Lumina's eyes shone. "Oh, wow, that sounds wonderful, Miss Mary. Where are the books on traveling shelved?"

"Over there, in that corner," Mary replied, pointing, and Lumina scampered happily off, leaving the two older girls staring after her, both slightly bemused.

"She's been so exuberant today…" Nami murmured, and Mary chuckled.

"You two don't look like you're around here," she commented, and Nami nodded.

"We're from the valley. It's her first time in town, actually, though not mine," the redhead replied.

"I was quite surprised to see anyone in here, so I guessed you weren't villagers," Mary said, frowning slightly. "And I was right!" Nami looked over at her questioningly.

"Why would you be surprised to see people in your library?" she asked curiously. Mary laughed.

"Oh, well, the villagers don't exactly approve of my relationship choices," she said brightly. "They don't think it's natural for me to be in love with another woman, and so many of them have been avoiding us. Since this is my library, it would be the first place for them to avoid."

"You're holding up well, considering," Nami said dryly, giving Mary a critical look before walking over to where Lumina was crouched beside the shelf, a sizable pile of books already next to her. Mary looked after Nami with a thoughtful gaze.

A little while later Nami and Lumina walked over to the desk to check out Lumina's various choices. After they had checked them out with Mary, Nami loaded them into her pack and the two exited the library.

Lumina had taken a long time choosing books and evening was settling in by the time she was through. Her stomach was growling already, as the sandwiches she and Nami had eaten during their hike hadn't been very filling. Nami offered to buy them both dinner at the local inn, and Lumina accepted gratefully.

After eating, the two began their return journey. However, on their hike up the mountain, it became quickly apparent that Lumina was too tired to continue, and so Nami carried her back down, saying that they'd stay in town for the night, despite Lumina's protests that Romana would be worried and that she really was fine, and could keep walking.

In the walk through the forest, Nami saw a cabin nearby with light shining out from the windows. She walked over and shifted her hold around Lumina to knock on the door, only then noticing that her young companion had already fallen asleep. She smiled.

The door opened to reveal a brunet with her hair tied up in a ponytail except for two pieces that were highlighted blonde. She was wearing denim shorts and a rather careworn looking purple tunic over her t-shirt. Nami cleared her throat.

"May we stay here tonight? We're from the valley, but she's too tired to journey back tonight," she said without preamble, looking boldly into the other's eyes. It wasn't of Nami's nature to worry about pleasantries, except on a few occasions, and she certainly wasn't worrying now. She wasn't even bothered that this was a total stranger she was asking either.

The woman in the doorway raised an eyebrow, but opened the door further to let the two in. "It's fine, there's only the two of us here, anyway." Nami looked past her to see another woman, reading in her rocking chair. It was the librarian. Mary.

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**I'm tired myself and have no motivation to make this chapter longer, but things are going to be a bit livelier soon. I think. Or maybe not. Did I make this a drama? It should be…-random giggle- You know why everyone gives Nami odd looks? Because she never changed out of her pajamas. Silly girl. **


End file.
